Daniel’s Story

“I didn’t think I was the volunteering type.”

Daniel works full-time in IT. He’s practical, busy, and not naturally drawn to community programs.

“I thought volunteering was something you did when you had loads of spare time,” he says.

After moving to Geelong, he wanted to meet people outside of work but didn’t know how. A Google search led him to Volunteering Geelong.

“I filled out the form thinking someone might email me in a few weeks.”

Instead, he received a call the next day from Michael, who talked him through options that suited his schedule.

“He actually listened. I said I only had a few hours on a Saturday morning. He didn’t try to talk me into anything else.”

Daniel was matched with a local environmental clean-up initiative. The process was straightforward — quick screening, clear communication, and he was ready to go.

“The hardest part was just turning up the first time.”

That first morning, he worked alongside retirees, uni students, and a dad with his two kids. By the end of it, they’d cleared several bags of rubbish from a local reserve.

“It was such a simple thing. But standing there afterwards, looking at the space we’d cleaned — it felt good. Properly good.”

Now Daniel volunteers once a month.

“It’s only a few hours. But it makes me feel part of something bigger than my inbox.”